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Laura Zahodne,
PhD

Adjunct Associate Research Scientist in the Taub Institute

Psychosocial Factors in Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease. The overall aim of my research program is to understand how psychosocial experiences influence late-life cognitive trajectories and the expression of neurodegenerative disease. I have examined several putative risk (e.g., depressive symptoms, psychosis) and protective (e.g., educational attainment, bilingualism) factors in the prediction of dementia incidence and course. My current interest is in the role of positive psychosocial factors (e.g., wellbeing, self-efficacy, social support) in cognitive and brain aging, independent of negative affect. Ultimately, I wish to understand how these psychosocial factors contribute to brain maintenance or reserve.